By: Danielle Longenecker, Product Marketing Manager

The craziness of the holidays is behind us, and the excitement of a new year is taking shape. For many people, January brings hope of achieving new goals and starting fresh. But for dealers, a new calendar year means a new batch of 2017 models across multiple OEMs. Although these new models may not start appearing on dealer lots right after the first of the year, the merchandising strategy for these vehicles is worth paying attention to now.

You’re probably familiar with Google’s micro-moments and how these moments affect car shoppers. Two of the key auto micro-moments are “Is-It-Right-For-Me” and “Am-I-Getting-A-Deal.” These moments are critical for online car shoppers and, if done right, your vehicle stories and new car incentives could be a powerful combination for winning the purchase.

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Google has identified the “Is-It-Right-For-Me” moment as the point where car shoppers take the time to decide whether a certain vehicle meets their needs and lifestyle. Shoppers look for certain features and specs of a vehicle to determine if this is the right vehicle for them. Knowing the shopper interest and including the right terms in your vehicle stories will grab the attention of the car shopper and immediately help them move along the purchase cycle. For example, according to Google Trends research, search interest for car trunk space and towing capacity have increased 15% and 30% respectively, year over year. Are you creating compelling stories that sell?

The other key moment in the car buying cycle, as defined by Google, is the “Am-I-Getting-A-Deal” moment. As the title suggests, shoppers are always looking for a great deal. Purchasing a new vehicle can be expensive and stressful. Therefore, nailing down the vehicle of their dreams for a price they can’t beat will give your buyer all the happy feelings (which then creates a positive experience with your dealership, and could result in positive reviews both online and by word of mouth). Pulling new car incentives into your vehicle stories help you competitively price your new cars and attract the attention of new car shoppers looking for that deal.

These are just two of the five key moments for a car shopper’s decision making, but they are two moments that can be optimized for you with Dominion Dealer Solutions. Dominion StoryBuilder™ and Dominion New Car Incentives are the dynamic duo your inventory has been waiting for. For more information call 877.421.1040.